Why UConn's Geno Auriemma called Kaitlyn Chen a 'perfect addition' for Final Four run
- Kaitlyn Chen, a graduate transfer from Princeton, has been a valuable addition to the UConn women's basketball team.
- Chen brings experience and leadership to a relatively young UConn team, which is what coach Geno Auriemma was looking for.
- Chen is familiar with UCLA, having played against them while at Princeton and being recruited by their coach, Cori Close.
- Chen had a strong performance in the Elite Eight against USC, scoring 15 points and shooting 6-of-9 from the floor.
Editor's note: Follow UConn vs. UCLA live updates from the Final Four.
TAMPA, Fla. — Kaitlyn Chen is not the biggest name on the UConn women’s basketball roster – that title belongs to Paige Bueckers – but she may just be what the Huskies need to capture their 12th national championship.
“I think Kaitlyn Chen was the perfect addition for what this team needed at the position that we needed it,” UConn head coach Geno Auriemma told the media Thursday ahead of the Huskies' Final Four matchup against UCLA.
Auriemma looked to the Ivy League to fill the roster hole left by Nika Mühl, who was drafted by the Seattle Storm last year after four seasons with UConn.
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Chen, a graduate transfer from Princeton, adds experience to a relatively young UConn team. She finished her tenure at Princeton third on the all-time assists list and 12th on the scoring list, earning First-Team All-Ivy honors twice along the way.
“I feel like Princeton has prepared me really well as a leader,” Chen said. “I feel like that's where I got comfortable using my voice and I feel that sort of translated over here.”
Against No. 1 overall seed UCLA, Chen will face a familiar foe. Bruins head coach Cori Close tried to get Chen, a Southern California native, to come home after her time at Princeton.
“We recruited her too out of Princeton and UConn got her,” Close said. “I was impressed with her decision making at Princeton, and I've been impressed with her decision making at UConn as well.”
Chen still holds fond memories of her hometown team. “It was somewhere where I grew up going to watch basketball games,” she said.
The last time Chen faced UCLA was in the early days of the 2023-24 season, when she was still with Princeton. Chen went 3-for-6 from behind the arc on the way to a team-high 24 points in a 77-74 loss.
The next time Chen faces UCLA, the stakes will be much higher. But she is coming off a strong 15-point performance against USC in the Elite Eight. She shot 6-of-9 from the floor to go along with two assists and a steal.
“So you saw the other night in that game why it was worth bringing her in,” Auriemma said. “And I’ve had a blast coaching her.”
UConn vs. UCLA: Date, time, TV channel, where to watch
- Date: Friday, April 4
- Time: 9:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida
- TV Channel: ESPN
- Live Stream: Fubo
Makenzy Wolford is a student in the University of Georgia's Sports Media Certificate program.